Psychological effects of skiing

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kierop 31 Oct 2016
Hi guys, I'm doing a research project on the psychological effects of skiing on a dry slope compared to Piste and Piste compared to dry slope and I'm looking for some opinions on what people prefer and why.

Thank you.
 Doug 31 Oct 2016
In reply to kierop:

Don't know about psychological but physically, it hurts more falling on plastic dry slopes

And aren't student projects supposed to have a questionnaire we can criticize?
 JuneBob 31 Oct 2016
In reply to kierop:

I would have thought dry slopes are disappearing while there are more and more indoor slopes with artificial snow. As to why anyone would prefer a dry slope, I can't even begin to imagine.
 LastBoyScout 31 Oct 2016
In reply to kierop:

> Hi guys, I'm doing a research project on the psychological effects of skiing on a dry slope compared to Piste and Piste compared to dry slope

Sounds like a complete waste of time.

> and I'm looking for some opinions on what people prefer and why.

Nobody EVER prefers a dry slope.
1
 mike123 31 Oct 2016
In reply to kierop:
I have an oddly shaped tumb thanks to dickering about with my numb nuts mates on the one at Sheffield . Every time I look at it, as I am now, I think ...tw@t .
Edit : so I would say physically and mentally scarred.
Post edited at 17:45
 kevin stephens 31 Oct 2016
In reply to LastBoyScout:

dry slopes are better, much longer, faster, more space, out in the fresh air and cheaper
 Taurig 31 Oct 2016
In reply to kevin stephens:

I tend to agree. My local snow zone is often poorly maintained, ice patches, chopped to buggery, and is damn expensive (yes, I accept the energy bill must be huge).

Dry slope will never be as good as real snow, but it's OK after a short adjustment period, much cheaper, and in my experience has technically good skiers/racers who give great lessons. The snow zone is really hit and miss, some instructors smack of 'snowboarder who went on a half day ski tutorial' or vice versa. Not good enough given the lesson prices.
In reply to kevin stephens:

> dry slopes are better, much longer, faster, more space, out in the fresh air and cheaper

Compared to a real piste...?

Cheaper, I'll grant you. But for actually learning to ski on snow, dry slopes are, IMNSHO, shit... Give me a real piste any day. A dry slope is only useful for learning to stand up on skis, and how not to trip over them.
 Dogwatch 01 Nov 2016
In reply to kierop:

> Hi guys, I'm doing a research project on the psychological effects of skiing on a dry slope compared to Piste and Piste compared to dry slope and I'm looking for some opinions on what people prefer and why.

Nobody at all "prefers" a dry slope to a piste. They may however be closer to home.
 Dogwatch 01 Nov 2016
In reply to kevin stephens:

> dry slopes are better, much longer, faster, more space, out in the fresh air and cheaper

I imagine you mean compared to a fridge ("snowdome") rather than to a piste.

As for longer and faster, that depends. None of the remaining dry slopes in my area are longer or faster than the nearest snowdome. More space, yes, because the dry slopes are near-empty and the snowdome is rammed much of the time.
 Stairclimber 04 Nov 2016
In reply to kierop:

Just as indoor climbing walls have associated training and competition, so dry slopes skiing contributes to the development of better skiers as well as the more usual few sessions before a proper snow ski holiday. Similarly people who live in areas without natural rock can climb, while those who don't live in the Alps or Scotland can ski. Don't knock the dry slopes too much. Of course most people prefer the real thing in both sports, but cheaper access has broadened the talent pool in both sports.
 natehd9 04 Nov 2016
In reply to Stairclimber:

Indeed a lot of the snowboarders I used to know at my 'local' dryslope (still an hours drive each way) have gone on to represent Britain at multiple international competitions, and one is even in the runnings for the winter olympics for 2018.
Plus if they're dendex (the plastic diamonds) they make you well 'ard.
 Chris the Tall 04 Nov 2016
In reply to kierop:

There was a time when I was a regular visitor to the now defunct sheffield ski village. I felt it was quite good training - an hour on there would lead my legs feeling as if I'd had 3 hours on real snow - as well as good for technique - especially if you want to be able to cope with horrible icy slopes. Stopped going a few years before it close, partly because the poor maintenance meant it was getting dangerous (IMHO), but mainly because it was so boring. I suppose it had a lot to do with how much I had improved - I was virtually a beginner when I first went - but at the same time I wasn't interested in progressing into big jumps and slopestyle tricks.

So psychology - what motivates me for skiing (and climbing and mountain biking) is doing something challenging in the outdoors. I suppose with skiing in particular the mountain views are important - actually the view from the ski village on a clear night wasn't bad (certainly better than inside a snow dome). With indoor climbing the technical challenge goes some way to compensate, but artificial ski runs are just too short for me to get any sort of flow. Been to a snow dome once and not likely to go again.
 mtom91 04 Nov 2016
In reply to kierop:

What on earth does IMNSHO mean?!?!?!?
 kevin stephens 04 Nov 2016
In reply to mtom91:

at a guess: "in my not so humble opinion"?
 kevin stephens 04 Nov 2016
In reply to captain paranoia:

> Compared to a real piste...?

> Cheaper, I'll grant you. But for actually learning to ski on snow, dry slopes are, IMNSHO, shit... Give me a real piste any day. A dry slope is only useful for learning to stand up on skis, and how not to trip over them.

I learned a lot on Rossendale dry slope. Skiing is a dynamic sport, yo need room to experience the forces from skiing and turning at a reasonable pace, plastic slopes are a demanding and unforgiving medium for learning how to engage and use edges. Ater a few weeks practicing and some lessons on plastic I was able to ski confidently on red runs on my first trip on real snow. In contrast indoor snow domes seem sterile and too limited to get near the experience of skiing on (or off) a proper piste.
 Wry Spudding 04 Nov 2016
In reply to kierop:
I would always prefer outdoor piste and off-piste if possible (just as I would prefer 'proper' climbing to the wall if that was a practicable option). Years ago I used to go from Manchester to the Sheffield slope every week.
For me, dry-slope was a good way to practice technique, and keep a degree of ski-fitness, (and still good fun) although 'dry-slopers' tended to skid rather than carve turns. More useful if working on specific things rather than repeated blasting down
The first runs back on dry slope after being on snow were always disappointing as the dry slope felt slow and sluggish.
As natehd9 said above, quite a bit of UK freestyle talent developed on the snowflex slope at Halifax.
Interesting to note that the dry slope at Ski Rossendale is still going reasonably well, despite being within an hour of the Chill Factore indoor snow slope at Trafford Park.
If going regularly, cost is a big factor - for an adult, an annual pass for unlimited entry at Rossendale is £32.50 per month (£390 total), whereas membership at Chill Factore is £100, but only gives a 30% discount on entry prices (£26 for 2 hrs off-peak, £32 for 2hrs peak) - so, at 13 visits a year they cost about the same but with more use the 'cost per visit' to Rossendale gets cheaper, while CFe remains at the same rate.

Whilst I do go to CFe at times, I'm not enamoured with the feel of the place, whilst I understand they are costly to run - the whole place has a theme-park feel, where the focus is more about 'increasing footfall and consumer spending'. Rossendale feels more of a community facility for skiers/boarders.
In reply to kevin stephens:

It's a long time ago now, but I recall skiing red runs with reasonable competence after about three days on real snow, after one day learning to stand up, fall over, and turn around wearing skis, one day learning to snowplough, and then giving up on the Bulgarian ski school, and having a friend show me how to do a stem turn, which I spent all day perfecting. After which, wedge turns quickly transitioned to parallel turns.

I learned about dynamics by learning, very early on, how to do a hockey stop, largely out of necessity when my speed and direction control didn't quite cut it... And a hockey stop uses a very extreme form of unweighting and weighting used by normal skiing; I use it if I need to help friends understand the gentler use of weight control.

This was in pre-carving days.

My few trips to dry ski slopes have been fairly unpleasant experiences. But, again, they were a long time ago, and may have improved since then. I didn't have tuition, so you may be right that the unforgiving nature of the surface means it forces you to get the technique absolutely right.
 Wry Spudding 04 Nov 2016
In reply to kierop:

Have you asked your question elsewhere? E.g. Snowheads.com

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